Current multi-signal transmission systems deliver multiple types of signals such as telephony, digitized video, and digital data signals over an infrastructure which utilizes various types of physical transmission media. Audio and video information originating at a service provider may be delivered to an end user via a complex switching network employing Radio Frequency (RF), fiber optic, coaxial cable (Coax), and twisted pair copper cabling which may be shielded (STP) or unshielded (UTP). As is known, each type of cabling includes trade-offs between performance characteristics and cost which must be considered in designing and implementing such a transmission system.
As consumers migrate toward information intensive services such as digital television, interactive television, and computer-related on-line services, the demand on the installed infrastructure continues to increase. To meet this increased demand, the physical transmission media forming the delivery infrastructure must eventually be replaced. However, this is an arduous task which requires significant time and expense. Thus, regardless of the particular physical media utilized in any portion of the transmission system, it is desirable to improve the overall system operating performance to maximize or optimize the use of currently installed transmission media.
In a traditional distribution system, a signal which originates at the information service provider may travel through multiple segments of physical transmission media connected by electrical, electronic, or optoelectronic switches before arriving at its destination. The various switches are used to route the signal from a source to a destination where the signals are typically randomly assigned to a particular channel within a multi-channel distribution cable.